Method and apparatus for manufacturing ropes, cables or the like

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method for manufacturing ropes, cables or the like, whereby an envelope of a flexible, web-shaped material, for example paper, is produced around at least one central core, for example a conductor, moved in the direction of its longitudinal axis, and the structure that has arisen in this way is stranded in a traditional way while being moved, for example with a SZ stranding, whereby at least one further layer of plastic material can also be applied onto the moving, stranded structure in any case, preferably by extrusion. So that a complete and dependable enveloping of a central core can be produced before a following stranding, even given systems running at high speed and continuously and given systems with a changing rotational sense of the stranding, the material for the envelope is supplied in the form of a band with the same speed as the moving core and, finally, is directed parallel to the core, whereas at least two longitudinal structures that are essentially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the band and that reduce the flexural strength of the band are worked into the band during the delivery thereof, and the band, following the alignment parallel to the core and before the stranding, is automatically bent around the core at least twice at its longitudinal structures such that a closed sheath arises around the central core.

I claim as my invention:  
     
       1. A method for manufacturing ropes or cables, whereby an envelope of a flexible, web-shaped material, is produced around at least one central core, moved in the direction of its longitudinal axis, and the structure that has arisen in this way is stranded in a traditional way while being moved, whereby at least one further layer of plastic material can also be applied onto the moving, stranded structure wherein material for the envelope is supplied in the form of a band with the same speed and is directed parallel to the core, wherein at least two longitudinal structures that are essentially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the band and that reduce the flexural strength of the band are worked into the band, and wherein the band, following the alignment parallel to the core and before the stranding, is automatically bent around the core at least twice at its longitudinal structures such that a closed sheath arises around the central core. 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal edges of the band lying opposite one another overlap after the bending around the core. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal edges of the band overlapping one another are connected to one another, at least at points. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two grooves are produced in said band as said longitudinal structures. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 4 , wherein a plurality of grooves are produced at both sides of the band and the band is thus multiply folded; and in wherein, during the course of the bending of the folded band around the core and the overlapping of the longitudinal edges, at least one groove of a longitudinal edge engages into a groove of a longitudinal edge lying opposite. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 5 , wherein an overlap of a plurality of grooves is produced at both longitudinal edges. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein grooves having a v-shaped cross section are formed. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the envelope of the band-shaped material that surrounds the central core and is already closed is guided on essentially all sides between at least one location at which the completely closed configuration has been essentially achieved and the entry into a following stranding means. 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said web-shaped material comprises paper. 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said central core comprises a conductor. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said stranding comprises SZ stranding. 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer of plastic material is applied by extrusion. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus for the manufacture of ropes or cables, comprising a means for moving a central core, in the direction of its longitudinal axis, delivery means for a flexible, web-shaped material, in the immediate proximity of the moving core and parallel thereto, and comprising at least one following guide means for forming a closed envelope of the web-shaped material around the core, as well as a stranding mechanism, and, also at least one extrusion means for applying a further layer of plastic material onto the moving, stranded structure, wherein a guide roller oriented parallel to the moving direction of the core is provided for the band-shaped material, and in that at least one tool is provided that works at least two parallel, longitudinal structures into the band at least at one location at which the band lies on the guide roller. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the circumferential surface of the guide roller on which the band lies is provided with at least one circumferential channel; and wherein the tool is composed of at least one shaping roller pressed against the circumferential surface of the guide roller, the circumferential surface of said at least one shaping roller being complementary to the circumferential channel in the guide roller. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the circumferential surface of the guide roller comprises at least two circumferential grooves. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein at least two shaping rollers are provided, each single one thereof carrying at least one bead or burr along its circumference that engages into a respective circumferential groove of the guide roller and that is fashioned complementary to the circumferential grooves thereof, whereby the plurality and arrangement of the beads or burrs is selected such that each circumferential groove of the guide roller collaborates with at least one bead or burr. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each shaping roller is provided with only one bead or burr and in that a plurality of shaping rollers corresponding in number to the plurality of circumferential grooves in the guide roller and distributed over the circumferential region is provided, the band also lying against the guide roller via said shaping rollers. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the circumferential grooves comprise a v-shaped cross section, and the shaping rollers comprise corresponding beads having an angular cross section. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one guide means is provided, in the form of a pipe that extends between essentially that location at which the envelope is essentially closed and the stranding means. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said web-shaped material comprises paper. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said central core comprises a conductor. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said stranding mechanism comprises a SZ stranding mechanism. 
     
     
       23. A method for manufacturing ropes or cables having a central core and a surrounding envelope formed from a web-shaped material, comprising the steps of 
       moving said central core in a direction of its longitudinal axis;  
       forming at least two longitudinal folding structures into said envelope material;  
       moving said envelope material in said direction of said central core longitudinal axis; and  
       folding said envelope material along said folding structures such that said envelope material surrounds and encloses said central core.  
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 23 , wherein said step of forming comprises supplying said envelope material to an outer surface of a guide roller having at least two parallel circumferential grooves and engaging said envelope material with at least one tool to press said material into said grooves to form said folding structures. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 23 , wherein said step of folding comprises guiding said envelope material through a shaped opening to cause said material to fold along said longitudinal folding structures. 
     
     
       26. A method according to  claim 23 , wherein said steps of moving said central core and moving said envelope material comprises moving both at a same speed. 
     
     
       27. A method according to  claim 23  including the further step of applying a layer of plastic material surrounding said envelope material and central core. 
     
     
       28. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein said plastic layer is applied via an extruder. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus for manufacturing ropes or cables having a central core and a surrounding envelope formed from a web-shaped material, comprising: 
       means for moving said central core in a direction of its longitudinal axis;  
       means for moving said envelope material at the same speed as said central core;  
       tools arranged to engage said moving envelope material to form at least two longitudinal folding structures into said envelope material;  
       guiding apparatus in engagement with said moving envelope material to align said moving envelope material with said moving central core; and  
       further guiding apparatus in engagement with said moving envelope material at a location where said moving envelope material is aligned with said moving central core to effect a folding of said envelope material along said folding structures such that said envelope material surrounds and encloses said central core.  
     
     
       30. An apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said tools comprise a guide roller with an outer grooved surface against which one surface of said envelope material engages and a projection aligned with a first groove in said grooved surface and a projection aligned with at least a second parallel groove in said grooved surface, said projections engaging an opposite surface of said envelope material to press said envelope material into said grooves. 
     
     
       31. An apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said guiding apparatus comprises a guide roller having an outer surface to be engaged by said envelope material and said outer surface having a surface area aligned with said moving central core. 
     
     
       32. An apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said further guiding apparatus comprises a shaped opening for receiving said central core and surroundingly receiving said envelope material, with internal shapes formed in said opening to receive and guide said longitudinal folding structures formed in said envelope material. 
     
     
       33. An apparatus according to  claim 29 , including at least one extrusion means for applying a further layer of plastic material to surround and enclose said envelope material and central core.